Auto tire-protector.



-J. K. ToMLINsoN.

Auro Tm; PROTECTORA. Pruoumn rIYLn JAN. s, 1914.v i

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l b y l y l l Y f I I I Attorneys mnimur..mnn..lml.c

J. K. TO'MLINSON.

v AHfI'U TIRE PROTECTOR. Y APPLwATIoN FILED JAN.9,1914. *l 1,131,094 YPatented Mar.9,191v5.

t 2 SHEETS-BHBET 2.

Attornevs Y STATES PATENT onirica-.

JOHN K. TOMLINSON, OF PIGKAVAY, WEST VIRGINIA,' ASSI(U}NOR OF 'ONE-THIRDT0 ROBERT M. BELL, OELEWISBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, ANDv ONE-TENTH TO J. J'.TOWN- LEY, OF RONCEVERTE, WEST VIIRAErIINIA.

A AUTO TIRE-PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'Application filed January 9, 1914. Serial No. 811,271.

To all whom it may concern.'

' Be it known that I, JOHN K. ToMmNsoN, a citizen of the United Statesresiding at Pickaway, in the county of Monroe and State of WestVirginia, have invented a new and .useful .Auto Tire-Protector, of whichthe following is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application is a protectoror shield for a vehicle tire. i i l One object of the present inventionisto provide a device of this type in which the tread portion is formedfrom a single length of flexible 'material bent uponitsel to form spacedparts, means being provided for connecting the said spaced-parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means @forassembling the protector with the tire and for tightening-up theprotector.

With theA above and other objects invview which will vappear as thedescriptionv proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement. of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe preciseembodiment 'of the invention herein disclosed can bemade within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 shows one form of theinvention-.in side elevation, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 Y

illustrating one of the clips and attendant parts; Fig. 4 is aperspective view showing one of the fillers; Fig. 5 is .a perspectiveview showing one of the cleats; Fig. 6. is a fragmental longitudinalsection illustrating certain of the cleats and fillers in position;

the cleat structure employed in Figs. 8 and 9.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5., 6 and 7, there is showna rim l carrying a tire 2. Surrounding the tire 2 circumfer- PatentedMar. 9, 1915. y

entially is abase strip 3'which may be fashioned from felt. Extendedacross the base strip 3 are strips 4I, the inner ends of which maybeconnected by bolts 5,'so as to hold form a plurality of approximatelyparallel4 convolutions, the other end of the flexible element 6 beingconnected with one of the clips 1, after the'manner of the showingindicated at 7. The convolutions of the dexible element 6 .are connectedby transverse cleats 8, one of which is shown in Fig. 5,

the cleats 8 being providedwith hooked ends 9. In order to understandthe app1i cation of thel cleats 8 clearly, reference should be had toFig. 7, wherein the nu!l mei'als 10, 11, 12 and 141 designate successiveconvolutions of the flexible element 6.` Any one pair of Vconvoliitions,say the. convolu tions 11 and 12 are connected by cleats 150i the fornihereinbefore described, one of the convolutions, as the convolution 1lbeing connected by the convolution 10 by a cleat 16 and the convolution12 being connected with the convolution 14 by means of the cleat 17'.From the foregoing it will be 0bserved that the'cleats 15 which connectany .pair of convolutions as the convolutions 11 and 12 alternate withthe cleats`16 which connect the' convolution 11 with the convo,-

the base strip 3 on the tire 2. The tread lution 10 and alternate withthe .cleats 17..

which connect the convolution 12 with the convolution 14. Owing to thisconstruction, a space exists between the ends ofthe cleats 1 6and 17,and between the transverse edges ofthe cleats 15, which space is indi- Ycated at 18. 1f desired, the convolutions .of

the flexible element may be placed close enough together so that theinner endsmof; the clips or cleats 16 and 17 .will bein en# gagement andthen the opening 18 will, no

longer. existi When,v however, as shown in 'the drawings, the parts are#positioned' as shown inI Fi ...7, tthen recourse is had .tof a inFig.'4."rhe,1i v y duced ends 20 `which extend beneath y the cleats'15,-as willbe understood lwhen Fig. 7 is coinp'aredfwith Fig. 6, each fillerbeing provided-'with' a projecting rib 21 which lls the opening 18. A.plurality of side members .'22 are provided, and anynuniber of sidemembers may be resorted to. The side members '22 preferably take theform of plates, the plates being disposedin pairs, andthe members of thepairs being oppositely positioned, transversely of the structure; Theside members 22 terminate in hook shaped lingers 23 engaged around theinner convolutions of theiexible element, as will be understood best.from Fig. 2. In termediate their ends and at their inner edges, the side`members 22 are equipped with reduced tongues 24 terminated ininwardly'extended, hook-shaped ngers 25, shown most, clearly 'in F ig.2. Links 26 or other suitableconnecting means engage lthe tongues 24; of.oppositely disposed side menibers 22, so asl tofhold the inner edges ofopposed side members 22 in inclined relation andprojecting toward themedian plane of the structure, as. will be appreciated from Fign2.v Withthe fingers 25 are assembled flexible elements v27 in which areinterpose turn buckles 28.

vIn applying the structure to the tire 2,`

the-protector, generally considered, is placed around the tire, and thebolts 5 iii the ends l .of the clips 4 are tightened up. The links 26are ,slipped over the tongues 2d and the flexible elements 27 areengaged in the lingers 25', whereupon theturn buckles 28 may be adjustedto hold the protector securely upon theV tire; all of which will beclearly understood from Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawg It will be ,observedthat the foregoing structure, although possessing the necessaryresiliency and iexibility will aiford an aderquate vprotection for thevtire and for the spirally disposed` flexible element, the clips orcleats 8 and the'iillers 19 serving to protect the flexible element 6and serving also to Vrender the outer surface or tread face of theVprotector substantially unbroken and continuous.

The structure hereinbefore described eX- times, however, it may bedesirable'to resort to a structure comprising a plurality of sections,the construction being Asuch that any one section, when damaged, may beref moved.

bers are indicated at 29, .the same being proa er'. 19 terminates in re`YV ith this end in view, the struc-l ture shown in Figs; V8 and' 9 is.resorted to...

In this form of the invention'tlie side rneni-A v vided with inwardlyextended hook-shaped'.

lingers 80, the lingers of opposed side ineinbers being united by links3l. The flexible elements 32, used as .a contracting means, areemployedand in theseiiexible elements 32v turn'buckles 33 areinterposed; In. the edges of the side members 29, longitudinally spacedfingers 34 'are formed. The. tire is shown at 35 and Vthe'base. strip at36.' AI

single flexible element for each pair of side plates 29 is provided. Theflexible element is looped back and forth, transversely of the structureand is engaged with the hook shaped fingers 3%, the looped flexibleele\l nient being shown at `37'. The ends 'of the secured to opposedsidemembers 29;V The 1 construct-lon, obviously is suoli that any pair ofside nieinbersl 29 and the corresponding looped lexible element `3T maybe removed.

when these parts are damaged. It is tlierefore unnecessary to throw.aside an entire protector when a section only thereof isy injured.Extended circiunferentially of the base strip 36 is a secondary strip 38which,

as shown invFig. 18, may support blocks 39 extended within cleats 40,the cleatsbeing employed to 'connect the convoliitions of the loopedflexible ele1nent,37.. These cleats 40.

entend longitudinally of the structure and may be provided with earthengaging studs 41. Between the curved end portions of the cleats 40 maybe interposed fillers`v 42,

the same having concaved r lateral faces,`

adapted to coperate with the liool-:-'sliaped ends of the cleats 40, theconcz'witie'es above v 'referred to being indicated at L13.

In Fig. 12 a slight modification of the inf vention is shown, whereinthe flexible ele-` ment 49 is shown as provided with a spiralmetallicwrapping 50, .the flexible elemeilo"` 49 being used as indicated at 37in FigjS orto form the spiral tread element represented 1 by thereference characters 6 in Figs. 1 and 2.

Although the clips` 4 shown in detail in` 3 may be useful at times, theyinay be omitted if desiredysince the liexible elements 6 are engaged bythey cleats 8 and are lthus held in place. tends around the tire in avsingle length. At f Having thusdescribed the intention', what isclaimed is :a

connectin cerdisposed between the primary cleats@ and. connecting 'thestrands ot said `pairs respecu tively with `other laterally. `disposedstrands; and a ller having its -ends inserted into the 80 i transverselylooped flexible lelement may be primary cleats, the filler including aproopposite sides of the tread, the links lying jecting rib fitting inthe spacerdened by between the longitudinal edges of the plates theprimary and secondary cleats. and the tightening devices.

2. A tire protector comprising a tread; v In testimony that I claim theforegoing 5 opposed side plates attached to the longitu-V as my own, Ihave hereto affixed my signa- 15 dinal edges of the tread and providedwith ture in the presence of two witnesses.

projecting tongues; open links engaged over JOHN K. TOMLINSON. thetongues 0i' opposed plates; and circum- Witnesses: l Yferentialtightening devices slidably en JOHN C001:

10 geged with the tongues of the plates upon MASON B. IiAw'roN.

